1. Home
  2. |Insights
  3. |Travel Expense Rebates And Incentives Result In $40 Million FCA Settlement

Travel Expense Rebates And Incentives Result In $40 Million FCA Settlement

Client Alert | less than 1 min read | 07.29.05

PricewaterhouseCoopers has agreed to pay $41.9 million to settle a qui tam civil False Claims Act lawsuit brought by a former partner alleging that the accounting firm had knowingly overbilled various government agencies for travel in conjunction with auditing and consulting work by failing to give the government credit for commissions, rebates, and incentives that travel companies and credit card issuers extended to the firm. The former partner turned whistleblower, who alleged that the accounting firm's management ignored internal complaints about the practice, reportedly is expected to receive between 15 and 25 percent of the government's $41.9 million recovery, plus $1.6 million in legal fees and costs.

Insights

Client Alert | 8 min read | 03.05.26

Fifth Circuit Decision in Health Care Fraud Case Highlights Importance of Careful Drafting in Civil RICO Complaints

A recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, Farmers Texas County Mutual Insurance Co. v. 1st Choice Accident & Injury, LLC, No. 24-20275 (5th Cir. Feb. 24, 2026), offers important lessons for health care payors and other potential plaintiffs considering civil claims under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Although the Fifth Circuit’s decision focused on a procedural issue, the underlying case turned on a fundamental pleading failure: the plaintiff insurers did not adequately describe the fraudulent network they were suing as a RICO “enterprise.” The result was dismissal of a $14 million fraud case....